The story of bald John Green and John Green’s romance.

The romance between them started actually many years before the football; both had gone backpacking for a year after going to college to play soccer. They met on a sandy beach in Australia and found a love like no other. They thought about it, and promised to each other that they would part ways and if they ever met again, it would be a sign they were meant to be. With heavy hearts, they trundled back to their respective homes. 

Bald John Green, or as he was then known by his friend, Green, returned to his family home in Arkansas.

John Green, known by his friends as J, returned to his small apartment in New York. J worked away trying to get any kind of permanent job but times were tough, and there were no jobs to be found. Desperately scanning newspapers for a job opening, he saw an advertisement.

“Swindon town swoodilypoopers are looking for a brand new player. Those wishing to join the team may apply to the following number…”

J grabbed a piece of paper and pen and wrote down the number, before taking some change to a phone booth down the street.

“Hello there, how may I help you?” 

“My name is John Green and I would like to play for your team.”

“How peculiar… well of course, we will pay for tickets to be sent to your apartment in the next few days to get down to where were based and then we’ll try you out. Could I have your address please?”

After a while, the phone conversation ended and J sat tight in his apartment, waiting for the tickets to come through. He was packed to leave as they came through the door. One more day and his landlord would have kicked him out.

Still, he was going now. A fresh start. He’d been practising at the local pitch every day in his year of unemployment. It was a miracle he’d stayed afloat this long.

And soon enough, he was there, the stadium, met by a kind coach who led him through to the pitch. He called another man, who shook his hand and smiled warmly.

“I’ll observe and after a while I’ll see if I think you’re up to scratch, there’s a good lad.”  The coach had said before retreating to the stands.

The two men practised for hours. J’s talent was obvious and his performance was on point. Hired an hour later and given accommodation in the area, a commune near the stadium where some of the players lived.

J was shown to his new room. He showered, dried his floppy hair, got changed and went downstairs.

“What?” he heard a voice, two men talking “What do you mean John Green?”.

J burst through the door- “JOHN!” he called out before throwing himself at the alarmed looking afore mentioned Green.

The hugged and cried, and simply held each other there. The other man excused himself, feeling like he was trespassing on an intimate moment.

The two John Greens saw and drank wine in the garden as the sunset faded into black, catching up on everything that had happened since the had last seen each other all those years ago.

“John.” Started Green, interrupted by J, who insisted his name was J and just to go with that.

“J, did you mean the promise we made. On the beach together?” asked Green, his naturally quite pale face a crimson shade of embarrassment.

J looked at Green for a moment.

“I will always love you as long as we live, as long as this world exists, as long as stars shine. You are my star, my sun. This star won’t go out.” J spoke quietly, but confidently. They were married within a year.